Adding a Menu Item to Netbeans platform Menu Bar

Question

I'm trying to create a mock menu for a module of my netbeans platform project (which I'm starting).

I want to create a new entry "New" in "File" that would have "New Project" and "New Module".

In Important Files -> Xml Layer -> this layer in context -> Menu Bar -> File I've created a new folder "New", and it displays as it should.

Then I've added two empty files, "New Project" and "New Module", but they don't show.

Here's layer.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE filesystem PUBLIC "-//NetBeans//DTD Filesystem 1.2//EN" "http://www.netbeans.org/dtds/filesystem-1_2.dtd">
<filesystem>
    <folder name="Actions">
        <folder name="File"/>
    </folder>
    <folder name="Menu">
        <folder name="File">
                            <folder name="New">
                <file name="New Module" url="New Module_2">
                    <attr name="requireProject" boolvalue="false"/>
                    <attr name="position" intvalue="800"/>
                </file>
                <file name="New Project" url="New Project_3">
                    <attr name="requireProject" boolvalue="false"/>
                    <attr name="position" intvalue="600"/>
                </file>
            </folder>
        </folder>
    </folder>
</filesystem>

I've deleted and created these files several times, hence the suffixes. The only thing I've added is positions.

I guess I'm either missing something or I misinterpreted something. I've read the documentation, but cannot find the answer.

So, how do I add and display a Menu Item?

Answer 1

I think that your <file name should point to instances of Action. For example:

<file name="org-netbeans-core-actions-SystemExit.shadow">
    <attr name="originalFile" stringvalue="Actions/System/org-netbeans-core-actions-SystemExit.instance"/>
    <attr name="position" intvalue="2600"/>
</file>

From NetBeans documentation:

The main menu of the application is composed by reading Menu/ folder in the layer. A sub folder is treated as a sub menu. Instances of individual files (usually .instance or .shadow) may then represent Action or JMenuItem or JSeparator.

source: http://bits.netbeans.org/dev/javadoc/layers.html

Also here: http://wiki.netbeans.org/DevFaqSystemFilesystem

You can easily create actions with the wizard.